Seven Steps for Writing During Uncertain Times

Seven Steps for Writing During Uncertain Times

by | Jan 12, 2021 | Slow Pieces Blog

I had already planned what I was going to write to you, and then life intervened. 

On Wednesday, January 6, 2021, I was working on a client manuscript when texts began to arrive. 

Have you seen the news? 
Do you know what’s happening? 
What have you heard? 

Stories about the insurrection happening at the United States Capitol were all over Twitter, Facebook, and the news. The images reminded me of the Unite the Right Rally held here in Charlottesville on August 12, 2017.

Needless to say, I’ve been somewhat distracted ever since. 
 
On top of the daily barrage of COVID stressors, I’ve spent some time facing old memories and sitting with the uncertainty and division plaguing our country. 

I want to know what’s going to happen. 
I want to know we’re going to be okay. 
I want a return to the calm I once knew. 

I know some of you live outside the United States. The anxieties you face might be quite different. And yet, during our COVID times, it’s likely something is happening in your part of the world. 

Maybe you’re distracted too.

Maybe that distraction is stealing your precious creative energy. 

Maybe you’re wondering how to keep writing or whether writing matters at all. 

First, let me affirm that writing is essential in times like these.

When you write down your thoughts and feelings, you allow them to live on the page rather than inside you.

This can give you enough distance to find your center and develop a sense of perspective around what’s going on.

Documenting events, as well as your thoughts and feelings, can serve as a historical record—one that might serve future projects.  

But let’s say that’s not enough. 
A story calls to you. 
You know it has a higher purpose, and you don’t want to lose your momentum. 

How do you keep writing when uncertainty continues? 

Here are some tips that might help you. 

  1. Admit that you’re distracted and that it’s affecting your work. Until you acknowledge what is, you can’t do anything about it. 
  2. Journal to get in touch with your feelings. If you’re afraid, what comfort and reassurances do you need? If you’re angry, what boundaries have been crossed? Where is that anger coming from? How much is related to what’s happening right now? How much is related to unexpressed anger from a past event? What’s underneath that anger? Is it fear, sadness, grief, humiliation, or powerlessness? As you explore these feelings, see if they’re related to your work in progress. Or, can you harness some of that angsty energy and divert it to your writing projects? 
  3. Limit your intake of news and social media. Doom scrolling doesn’t solve the world’s problems. It will, however, inflame your uncomfortable feelings. Consume enough to stay informed and safe, but that’s it.
  4. Commit to practicing self-care. This means healthy food, regular movement, adequate sleep, time for quiet, and time for fun. 
  5. Connect with people who love and support you. Restless minds grow more restless in isolation. Connecting with others can help break that cycle.
  6. Find your center. There’s a still, small place inside all of us that is always calm and always wise. Make a list of practices you’ve developed for finding your center. Then, go practice them. If you’re looking for some new ones, consider the following options: 
    1. Spend five minutes doing alternate nostril breathing.
    2. Close your eyes, inhale, and imagine you’re sending your breath to your solar plexus. Now, imagine there’s a trampoline at the bottom of it. When the air hits the trampoline, it bounces back up and exhales out of your body. Repeat this for five minutes. 
    3. Complete a body scan meditation. 
    4. Practice Metta Loving Kindness meditation. Metta can give you a positive sense of control at times that feel out of control. 
  7. Once you’ve found your center, consider what right actions you need to take. That might mean anything from speaking out about something, setting a boundary, and recommitting to a project, to beginning or ending a relationship.  I can’t tell you what right actions you should take, but I can tell you that right actions come from a centered place. They’re not always easy or welcome in the short run, but they always serve love and peace. If you’re not sure what actions to take, do nothing other than find and maintain your inner peace. When it’s time for you to do something, you’ll know.  You can use this quote from Viktor Frankl as a guide: “Between stimulus and the response there is a space, in that space is our power to choose our response, in our response lies our growth and our freedom.

Spend time in that space between stimulus and response.
Access your power.
Be in charge of your freedom and growth. 

 If you’re meant to continue with a specific writing project, your muse will stand by you. 

If it’s taking a break, have faith that it will return when the time is right. It’s just giving you space for other, equally important work. 

We will get through this. I have an abiding faith that while January 6, 2021,  knocked me off my center, peace, love, and positive times are ahead of us. 

I believe in you and your work.

As you go through this week, may you be healthy, happy, and in a state of peace. 

The Power of Envisioning and Affirming Your Success

The Power of Envisioning and Affirming Your Success

by | Jan 5, 2021 | Slow Pieces Blog

Every New Years’ Day I complete the same ritual.

Around noon, I close the door to my bedroom or office, light a candle, and pull out the New Year journal I started when I was eleven.
 
Inside the journal are thirty-five-years-worth of resolutions, goals, and entries about my life and current events. After getting comfortable, I read a few select entries and then write one for the coming year. Each entry contains my new goals, a journal entry about the past year, a few notes about historical events, and a list of my gratitudes.  
 
Before starting my 2020 entry, I read through the ones from 1996 – 2000—what I call my personal 2020 experience. In 1996, I was twenty-two and believed I had all the answers. I was so sure I could handle anything that I wrote “This is the year I win” on the top of my 1997 entry. By the end of 1997, I’d lost a friend, my brother, and my grandfather. My marriage nearly ended. My job was a total disaster. Oh, and I almost died too. 

That was such a painful and humbling time in my life, and yet I can now see that it held so many gifts.

Writing about 2020 was just as humbling. Pain and problems were easy to spot. The first resolutions that came to mind sounded a lot like “Take this away,” “I don’t want any more of that,” and, “Make me a better….” 
 
On January 3, I listened to a talk by Reverend Don Lansky on the topic of resolutions. He said that often our resolutions focus on our flaws and what we’d like to eliminate. We say things like “I want to lose ten pounds, or “stop procrastinating,” or “become a better writer.” The message behind each of these statements is that I am currently lacking something that will make me successful.  
 
To actually have the lives we want, we need to affirm that we are already successful. For example, instead of saying you want to stop procrastinating, say “I  use my time wisely.” Instead of wanting to be a better writer, claim that you are a writer who produces beautiful stories. 
 
If you haven’t already done so, take a moment to write down your 2021 writing goals.

Be sure to write down both the big goals and the milestones along the way. 
 
Don’t have any? Start with making some time to write. 
 
What does success look like?  Be specific.

Now, what does success feel like? Imagine this as vividly as possible. 
 
Every day, upon waking up, I complete a meditation that helps me envision my success.
 
For my upcoming milestone, it looks like a message in my inbox from an agent asking to represent me. It feels like a smile that begins in my chest and radiates across my face. For my big goal, success looks like a book signing. At the signing, I feel the weight of my book in my hands as I prepare to greet the readers who have been touched by my story. 
 
I rehearse this like an athlete rehearses for a big game. 
 
Envisioning my success holds me accountable to my goals and encourages me to behave as if this has already happened. That means turning a keen eye to my manuscript, sticking with my writing schedule, and minimizing distractions. When I have doubts, it means affirming my potential. 
 
I’ll be sharing an envisioning meditation with my upcoming coaching clients and students in Building Creative Intuition.

If we’re not working together, I have another way for you to practice this skill. 
 
Close your eyes and imagine how you’ll feel once you’ve achieved your first 2021 milestone. 
 
Next, get out a piece of paper and write a letter from your future self. 
 
In this letter, you’re going to congratulate yourself for your success and specifically name the steps you took to make your goal a reality. You’ll also talk about how it feels to be successful. Imagine this as vividly as you can.
 
If this feels like total b.s. or just plain weird, try it anyway. What do you have to lose? 
 
Now, you have two options.
 
Option one: Seal your letter in an envelope then put it somewhere safe. Pick a date when you will open the letter and set a reminder in your calendar.
 
Option two: Type your letter into futureme.org and schedule its delivery sometime in the future. 

Then notice what happens.  
 
If a project or an idea is calling to you, it has a higher purpose.

Be courageous enough to answer that call and diligent enough to make it happen. 
 
I’m cheering you on. 

The reason I have a folder titled “Why I Teach”

The reason I have a folder titled “Why I Teach”

by | Dec 29, 2020 | Slow Pieces Blog

When I first began teaching a mentor told me to create a folder labeled “Why I Teach.” 
 
She said working with humans was rewarding, messy, and unpredictable. Some days would be high points. Others would be the pits. 
 
Ninety-five percent of the time, I would have no idea whether I made an impact, or if I did, what that impact was. 

That was twenty years ago. My mentor was right. Teaching is rewarding, messy, and unpredictable. 
 
Teachers must have faith that somewhere, somehow, we are making a difference and our efforts are enough. 
 
Whenever someone thanks me, their card or note goes into the “Why I Teach” folder that still sits in my file cabinet. On hard days, when I worry that I haven’t been helpful or I wonder if all this hard work is making a difference, the folder reminds me to stay the course. 
 
Four years ago, I started this newsletter with a simple mission. I wanted to pay forward the support I’d been given on my writing journey by sharing inspiration and tips I’d learned along the way. 
 
Writing this newsletter is an act of faith. Ninety-five percent of the time, I have no idea whether it has an impact. 
 
To those of you who have sent me thank-you letters or shared your stories, I am deeply grateful. 
 
Your words are printed and placed in my folder so I can remind myself why this is important. 
 
Whether you’re a new subscriber or you’ve been with me from the very beginning, I want to say thank you from the bottom of my heart. 
 
Thank you for believing that your stories matter. 
 
Thank you for working to perfect them so they can change the world. 
 
For those who have worked with me, thank you for trusting me with your stories and your precious creative lives. Your projects and tenacity inspire me. I feel so honored to have had the privilege of watching you grow. 
 
Over the past thirty days, you have written a new end to 2020—one that is filled with love, connectivity, and hope. 
 
You’ve donated $20,279 to families in need.

You’ve supported independent bookstores across North America.
 
You’ve written reviews for your fellow writers.
 
You’ve donated $2,245 to literary organizations at a time when they desperately need your help.
 
You’ve thanked countless mentors.
 
In January, I would like to say thank you by inviting you to join my 31-day writing challenge. 
 
During this 31-day writing challenge, you’ll receive a short (as in 3 – 4 sentence) daily email that will help you start or build momentum on any project.
 
There are no costs associated with this challenge. 
 
All you need to do is sign up by sending an email to lisa.cooper.ellison@gmail.com and then check your inbox. 

Because we’re all busy, emails will only be sent to those who actively sign up for the challenge. 
 
So, as we wrap up 2020, I hope you reflect on the good in your life even as we hold space for the uncertainty and hardships we’ve all faced. 
 
I want to wish you the happiest of New Years.
 
I can’t wait to see how your writing life unfolds in 2021.  

#Giveaway4Good Week Four: The Power of Saying Thank You

#Giveaway4Good Week Four: The Power of Saying Thank You

by | Dec 22, 2020 | Slow Pieces Blog

When I was a senior in high school, I lived with the family I’d babysat for since my freshman year. The father was an English teacher at a nearby middle school, the mother a chemical engineer. 

Three weeks before my high school graduation, I decided to enter my school’s creative writing contest. The night before the contest’s deadline, the father helped me revise my piece until almost one in the morning.

Someone else won the contest, but I was stunned by his belief in my potential. 

Eight years later, I finally won my first creative writing contest. I was twenty-six and had just graduated with my bachelor’s degree. Certain the announcement was a fake, I confronted my creative writing professor. 

“Of course you won. It was a great piece.” He shook his head like my concerns were ridiculous. Even though I was full of doubts, he saw me as a writer. 

In 2014, I signed up for a memoir writing class during the peak of my battle with Lyme disease. I was forty and most days, my brain felt like scrambled eggs. My ideas were mushy and fragmented. I struggled to retrieve words and quickly lost my train of thought. My spelling was atrocious, and my grammar sucked. My instructor saw past those deficits and praised the beauty of my scene work. 

Each of these mentors taught me valuable lessons about the craft of writing. But their real gift was helping me believe in myself.  

If you’re reading this email, it’s likely someone has also given you this gift. 

That leads me to my final 2020 #Giveaway4Good Challenge. 

Between now and 7:00 PM EST on December 28, 2020, I’d like you to thank someone who’s impacted your writing career. 

For saying thank you, you’ll be entered into this week’s drawing for a prize pack from the organizations you supported during week three.

This prize pack includes: 

 
If one of these organizations has supported your writing journey, the greatest form of gratitude you can express is a donation so they can continue to serve writers. 

To learn more about these amazing organizations or how you can donate to them, click here. 

 

To enter this week’s drawing, reply to this email. Include the name of the person or organization you are thanking and one sentence about how they’ve impacted your writing journey. 

 

I’ll give you one ticket for each person you thank. 

You’ll receive two tickets for a financial donation to any literary organization. 

You’ll receive four tickets for thanking James River Writers, Hippocampus Literary Magazine, Brevity, or Creative Nonfiction with a gift of ten-dollars or more. 

 

On top of this week’s prize pack, you’ll also be entered in my grand-prize drawing for a one-hour coaching session with me (includes a 10-page manuscript review), PLUS a spot in Jane Friedman’s self-study course How to Write a Book Proposal. 

So, who are you going to thank? 

Your message might be the greatest gift this person receives this year. 

Giveaway4Good Week Three: Four Self-Serving Reasons For Joining James River Writers

Giveaway4Good Week Three: Four Self-Serving Reasons For Joining James River Writers

by | Dec 15, 2020 | Slow Pieces Blog

James River Writers is a nonprofit writing organization located in Richmond, Virginia, about one hour from Charlottesville. They host a monthly Writing Show, master classes, social gatherings, and an annual multi-genre conference. Of all the conferences I attend, this one’s closest to home.  

One of my first agent pitches happened at the 2016 James River Writer’s Conference. This session was a free perk offered to all conference attendees—a rarity in the writing world. If you’re working on a book, I highly recommend these pitch sessions!

Let me set the stage for my pitch session. 

It was 11:00 A.M. on a Saturday morning. I’d had three too many cups of coffee and worried that I was on the brink of a deodorant malfunction. Five other writers waited in line with me. The woman in front was pitching a historical romance. Neither one of us had done this before. During our ten-minute wait, we whispered our pitches to each other then said good luck as we were ushered to our respective tables. 

After our whirlwind meeting, we hugged in the middle of the hotel lobby, celebrating our pitching victories. Both agents had requested our manuscripts.

During that morning’s opening event, Executive Director Katharine Herndon had said, “Welcome to your tribe.”

It’s hard to create that vibe when the literary interests of your audience are so diverse. But somehow Katharine and her team pulled it off. If she hadn’t, there’s no way two introverted strangers would’ve shared that long mid-conference hug. 

This year, I served as one of the 2020 James River Writers Conference presenters and witnessed Katharine’s staff transition their annual conference to an online format. Not only was the transfer seamless, but the conference meet-and-greet opportunities maintained that same sense of connection I’d felt at past events.

I encouraged clients and students from across the country to attend. After the conference was over, one wrote to me and said attending the 2020 James River Writers Conference made her feel like a real writer. It gave her the courage to keep working on her writing goals. 

She’d claimed her space as a writer just like I had at the 2015 Creative Nonfiction Conference. 

Perhaps you live far from Richmond, and you’re wondering why you should support this organization. I’ll give you four self-serving reasons. 
 

  1. Agent pitch sessions will help you get clear on your project. Pitch well, and the agent will give you their email address and request a submission. That connection means they’re more likely to open your email and thoughtfully consider your work.  
  2. If one of your dreams is to publish a book, making connections at literary organizations well in advance of your book launch is essential. Signing up for the JRW newsletter or a membership will help you better understand what they do and how you can be of service. 
  3. It takes a village to raise a writer. While a homegrown writing community is essential, it’s also important to branch out. Perhaps you want to be on a conference panel or would like to find an author who can serve as a launch partner. Someone in a distant city might be just what you’re looking for. 
  4. Since all of their events are currently online, and it’s free to sign up for their newsletter, you have absolutely nothing to lose.


But you have lots to gain by supporting them, including tickets for this week’s drawing for a set of author-signed books published during 2020 by Sharon Harrigan, Athena Dixon, Lara Lillibridge, Molly Howes, Rose Anderson, AND a spot in Jane Friedman’s self-study Query Master Class.

You’ll also receive a bonus copy of the book on publishing I recommend to every writer  The Business of Being a Writer by Jane Friedman. The winner will also get a seat in Jane Friedman’s self-study Query Master Class.

You’ll also be entered in my grand prize drawing for a one-hour coaching session (includes a 10-page manuscript review) PLUS a seat in Jane Friedman’s self-study course How to Write a Book Proposal. 

Not bad, for doing something that could serve you so well. 

Financial donations and memberships are worth four tickets for this week’s drawing. 

To make a donation, click here. 

To sign up for a membership, click here. 

Other ways you can earn tickets by supporting James River Writers:

  • Following them on Facebook and Twitter,
  • Subscribe to their  e-newsletter
  • When you see them sharing their programs and the accomplishments of their writing family through their communications, you can then turn around and share them with your sphere of influence, helping us all reach a wider audience. 

 To enter this week’s drawing, reply to this email.

Please include the amount of your donation or a screenshot of your social media support.

To learn more about the challenge or how supporting Creative Nonfiction, Brevity, Hippocampus Literary Magazine, or any other literary nonprofit can help you score tickets for this challenge, click here. 

Thank you in advance for your literary citizenship. 

Giveaway4Good Week Three: The Importance of Writing with Both Skill and Heart

Giveaway4Good Week Three: The Importance of Writing with Both Skill and Heart

by | Dec 15, 2020 | Slow Pieces Blog

By the time I discovered that Mary Karr was the keynote speaker for the 2016 HippoCamp conference I was out of travel funds. Over the next few months, online friends raved about the event. So, as soon as the 2017 conference opened up, I registered. 

I drove to Lancaster, PA with a fellow student in a Memoir in a Year class. We walked into the Marriott ballroom feeling like outsiders, but by Sunday afternoon it was as if we’d spent the weekend with old friends. 

As an introvert, the phrase meet-and-greet sends chills up my spine. I attend these social gatherings because they’re essential networking activities, but the feeling I most associate with them is awkward. 

I’m not sure whether the potato martini bar or Amish-country vibe set the tone for HippoCamp’s Friday night meet-and-greet. But I know it was my entry into the HippoCamp family.

It didn’t matter if you’d just written your first word or you were the keynote speaker. Everyone was treated like an equal.

Over the past three years, I’ve had the pleasure of learning from so many talented writers. Presentations by Laurie Jean Cannady and Reema Zaman on trauma narratives inspired me to use my experience as a former mental health counselor to design a presentation on writing about trauma.

Listening to Melanie Brooks read from her book Writing Hard Stories, reminded me that we write to heal, and for countless writers, publishing their hard stories has been transformational. Rae Pagliarulo revealed the intricacies of the addiction memoir subgenera while Athena Dixon gave me strategies for dealing with my inner critic. 

While Creative Nonfiction gave me the skills to write well-crafted essays, HippoCamp presenters showed me how to wield those skills with an open heart.

Essays published in Hippocampus Literary Magazine’s online journal exemplify the beauty that results when craft meets heart. 

In 2019, I was one of HippoCamp’s speakers. That same year, one of my essays was a finalist in Hippocampus’s Remember in November contest. I look forward to presenting for HippoCamp again in 2021. 

I’m deeply honored to be part of the HippoCamp family and to support Donna and her team as they work tirelessly to support creative nonfiction writers as they discover their voices and tell their important stories. 

Make a ten-dollar donation to Hippocampus Literary Magazine and you’ll earn four tickets toward this week’s drawing. 

My week three prize is a set of author-signed books published during 2020 by Sharon Harrigan, Athena Dixon, Lara Lillibridge, Molly Howes, Rose and Anderson AND a spot in Jane Friedman’s self-study Query Master Class.

You’ll also get a copy of the book I recommend most frequently to all authors, The Business of Being a Writer. This prize is a $200 value, all for supporting the organizations that support you. 

To donate,  click here. 

Other ways you can earn tickets by supporting Hippocampus Literary Magazine:

  • Read a Hippocampus Magazine story or article, comment on it, and share with followers on at least one platform.
  • Suggest a Books by Hippocampus book to a local library, indie bookstore, or to a friend/family member as a holiday gift idea. 
  • Add a Books by Hippocampus book to the “to-read” section of your Goodreads account. If you’ve read one of their books, write a review for both Amazon AND Goodreads. 


 To enter this week’s drawing, send an email to lisa.cooper.ellison@gmail.com.

Please include the amount of your donation or a screenshot of your social media support. 

To learn more about the challenge or how supporting Creative Nonfiction, Brevity, James River Writers, or any other literary nonprofit can help you score tickets for this challenge, click here. 

Thank you in advance for your literary citizenship. 

#Giveaway4Good Challenge Week Three: The Moment I Claimed My Space as a Writer

#Giveaway4Good Challenge Week Three: The Moment I Claimed My Space as a Writer

by | Dec 15, 2020 | Slow Pieces Blog

By the mid twenty-tens, I’d been writing for several decades, but it wasn’t until I attended the 2015 Creative Nonfiction Conference that I truly believed my stories mattered. 

The conference was located in Pittsburgh. I drove there with my mentor Sharon Harrigan. Over the next two days, I attended presentations by self-proclaimed “Godfather of Creative Nonfiction,” Lee Gutkin, Washington Post editor, Adam Kushner, and one of my literary heroes, Dinty Moore. This was in addition to panels that included agents, journalists from the New Yorker and New York Times, and authors of memoirs and essay collections. 

Between sessions, Dinty signed my dog-eared copy of The Mindful Writer, a pocket-sized manual on writing that’s still one of my daily readers. He told me to write true and that’s a promise I’ve worked to keep over the past five years. 

During meet-and-greets, attendees not only asked about my project, they showed genuine interest. A few shared stories with me that were as harrowing as my own. We exchanged email addresses and Facebook friend requests.

Little by little, I claimed my space as a writer. By the end of the weekend, I understood that stories were the glue that binds us together. Each and every one is essential. 

Over the next few months, I applied the skills I learned during the conference to land my first big publication. 

I signed up for the 2016 Creative Nonfiction Conference and subscribed to their quarterly magazine. Creative Nonfiction’s brilliant essays and columns have served as exemplars that motivate me to find deeper truths in my personal experiences and reveal them elegantly. 

Over the years, I’ve been impressed with Creative Nonfiction’s high-quality courses and webinars. Many are taught by writers whose books live on my bookshelf.

This year, I taught my first webinar for Creative Nonfiction, “Writing Through Challenging Times.” On February 24, 2021, I’ll teach a second one on harnessing the power of your emotional beats. 

While I could probably name many launch points for my writing career, attending Creative Nonfiction’s conferences and discovering its magazine were foundational. 

Supporting Creative Nonfiction as part of my #Giveaway4Good Challenge is my way of saying thank you to the organization that helped me believe I am a writer and gave me the tools to become a published one. 

You can earn four tickets toward this week’s drawing by subscribing to their magazine or making a ten dollar gift.

 

This week’s prize is a box of author-signed published during 2020 by Sharon Harrigan, Athena Dixon, Lara Lillibridge, Molly Howes, Rose and Anderson AND a spot in Jane Friedman’s self-study Query Master Class.

You’ll also get a copy of the book I recommend most frequently to all authors, The Business of Being a Writer. This prize is a $200 value, all for supporting the organizations that support you.


To donate, click here. 

To subscribe to their quarterly magazine, click here. 

Other ways you earn tickets by supporting Creative Nonfiction:
· Join their email list, especially the Sunday Short Reads
· Share their calls for submissions (or submit your own work)  


To enter this week’s drawing, send an email to lisa.cooper.ellison@gmail.com.

Include the amount of your donation or a screenshot of your social media support.

To learn more about the challenge or how supporting Hippocampus Literary Magazine, Brevity, James River Writers, or any other literary nonprofit can help you score tickets for this challenge, click here. 

Thank you in advance for your literary citizenship. 

#Giveaway4Good Week 3 Challenge: All Writing Roads Lead to Literary Organizations

#Giveaway4Good Week 3 Challenge: All Writing Roads Lead to Literary Organizations

by | Dec 15, 2020 | Slow Pieces Blog

I’m going to let you in on a little secret.

All writing roads lead to literary nonprofits.

Not sure what I mean? Let me explain. 

Let’s say you’re an aspiring author who wants to get published. Where do you send your work?

Or perhaps you’re looking for a webinar or class that will help you sharpen your skills or better understand your project. Where do you look for classes if you’re not interested in applying for an MFA? 

Maybe you earned an MFA. Where do you go to network with other writers, maintain your passion, or present your ideas? Who puts on the conferences you attend? 

Like I said, all writing roads lead to literary nonprofits. 

This list includes literary magazines, nonprofit writing centers, and organizations that host writing classes, webinars, and conferences.

Often, these organizations are passion projects run largely on volunteer manpower, editor funding, and donations that help defray costs, pay instructors, and most importantly, pay writers like you.

During the pandemic, all literary nonprofits have scrambled to find new ways to serve their communities. For many, donations are down. Some, sadly, will not survive.

That’s why I’m dedicating week three of my #Giveaway4Good Campaign to the organizations that support, nurture, and publish writers. 

Here’s this week’s challenge. 

  1. Make a ten-dollar donation to any literary organization or support them on social media, and I’ll give you one ticket for this week’s drawing.
  2. Support Hippocampus Literary Magazine, James River Writers, Creative Nonfiction, or Brevity on social media and I’ll give you two tickets for this week’s drawing. Read on to learn more about these organizations and how you can best support them.
  3. Make a ten-dollar donation (or more) to Hippocampus Literary Magazine, James River Writers, Creative Nonfiction, or Brevity and I’ll give you four tickets for this week’s drawing. 

 
 This week’s prize is a box of author-signed published during 2020 by Sharon Harrigan, Athena Dixon, Lara Lillibridge, Molly Howes, Rose and Anderson AND a spot in Jane Friedman’s self-study Query Master Class.

You’ll also get a copy of the book I recommend most frequently to all authors, The Business of Being a Writer. This prize is a $200 value, all for supporting the organizations that support you. 

Jane’s Query Master Class includes lectures on writing query letters and synopses as well as how to research agents. You’ll also get access to examples of strong query letters that will help you write yours. Writing a query letter is an essential skill for both fiction and nonfiction writers. 

The more you support these literary organizations, the more tickets you can earn. 

To participate in this week’s challenge, send an email to lisa.cooper.ellison@gmail.com. Include the name of the organization you supported and your donation amount or a screenshot of your social media post.

Looking for the best way to support my favorite literary organizations?

Here’s what they’d like you to know. 

Hippocampus Literary Magazine

“Hippocampus Magazine is all about true stories: We publish 7 (online) issues a year, packed with personal essays, book reviews, author interviews, and writing-related articles. In 2015, we held their inaugural conference, called HippoCamp. This annual gathering in Lancaster, PA, brought this community to life — so many friendships, so many opportunities! (We’re excited for its return in 2021!)

The success of our literary journal is the driving force behind the literary community we’ve built through HippoCamp, and it’s the heart of what we do. Like many lit mags, we’re a volunteer-run, mostly editor-funded publication, and your generous support will help us keep our pledge to offer author honorariums, as well as help with some of our essential expenses, like web hosting, postage, and supplies. Thank you for your consideration!” Donna Talarico-Beerman, Founding Editor

Your donations to Hippocampus Literary Magazine’s friend’s program support:  

  • Writers for Writers Submissions Fund
  • The costs associated with running an online magazine, including technology, marketing subscriptions, postage, advertising, memberships, printing, and event space rental
  • Audio-visual equipment for online events

 
To make a ten dollar donation to Hippocampus Literary Magazine, click here. 

Other ways you can support Hippocampus Literary Magazine:

  • Read a Hippocampus Magazine story or article, comment on it, and share with followers on at least one platform.
  • Suggest a Books by Hippocampus book to a local library, indie bookstore, or to a friend/family member as a holiday gift idea. 
  • Add a Books by Hippocampus book to the “to-read” section of your Goodreads account. If you’ve read one of their books, write a review for both Amazon AND Goodreads. 

 
 
Brevity Literary Magazine

“Brevity has always been most excited about providing publication opportunities to writers who have either never published before or who are early in their writing careers, especially when this also allows space for marginalized voices or little-heard perspectives, and we’ve rejoiced over the years to see those that we published early landing their first book deals and establishing solid literary reputations. We still publish newer writers alongside some of the more well-known authors in our magazine, and we are especially proud that we are able to pay our writers for their work.”  Dinty W. Moore, Founding Editor

Your donations to Brevity support: 

  • Their ability to pay their writers and expand their mission of supporting both established and emerging authors.  

 
To make a ten dollar donation to Brevity, click here. 

Other ways you can also support Brevity: 

  • Subscribe to Brevity’s blog
  • Read and share their posts on social media
  • Follow Brevity on Instagram @Brevitymag 
  • Send a copy of The Best of Brevity to a writer, teacher, or friend (This will earn you four tickets.)

 

Creative Nonfiction

“At Creative Nonfiction, we believe that crafting and sharing true stories based on real-world experience is one of the most powerful tools humans have for communicating information, fostering empathy, and changing ourselves, our culture, and the world.”  Lee Gutkind, Founding Editor

Your donations and subscriptions to Creative Nonfiction support:

Their diverse range of publishing and educational projects and programs that help writers develop their craft, achieve their goals, reach audiences, and make an impact. Your donations support their ability to pay their instructors and their authors.

To make a ten dollar donation to Creative Nonfiction, click here. 

Other ways you can support Creative Nonfiction:

· Subscribe to their quarterly magazine (This will earn you four tickets!)
· Join their email list, especially the Sunday Short Reads
· Share their calls for submissions (or submit your own work)  

 

James River Writers

“James River Writers offers connection, support, and inspiration for writers and lovers of the written word. Through year-round programs, our annual signature writers conference, and regular opportunities for networking and idea-sharing, we provide everything writers need to thrive, regardless of where you are on your writing journey. During the pandemic, it has become abundantly clear how essential the arts, and especially literature, is to a thriving society. Books enable us to escape and feel like we are understood. Writers make books happen. James River Writers creates a community that helps produce successful and supported writers. We are proud to continue our efforts, with great feedback, throughout the difficulties that we have all experienced during 2020.” Katharine Herndon, Executive Director of James River Writers 

Your donations and membership support:

  • Professional development for writers at all levels of expertise
  • Scholarships awarded to aspiring writers
  • A platform for writers to share their work and expand their audiences
  • Vital opportunities for connection within the writing community

To make a ten-dollar donation to JRW or become a member, click here. 

And, if you’re planning on purchasing books as gifts this holiday season (or treating yourself!), consider doing so via their JRW Bookshop storefront. Proceeds support indie bookstores as well as JRW. You can shop their featured titles from their JRW community of writers, or search for any other titles you may be looking for! (This will earn you four tickets!)

Other ways you can support James River Writers: 

  • Following them on Facebook and Twitter,
  • Subscribe to their  e-newsletter
  • When you see them sharing their programs and the accomplishments of their writing family through their communications, you can then turn around and share them with your sphere of influence, helping us all reach a wider audience. 

 
Whether you’re a fledgling writer or a pro, literary nonprofits are an essential part of your writing life. 

They inspire you, educate you, and publish your work.

And, they need you. 

For the next week, supporting these organizations can enter you in a drawing for some fabulous prizes. 

Support your favorite literary organization, then send a email to lisa.cooper.ellison@gmail.com.

Giveaway4Good Challenge Week Two: How Supporting Authors of Color Can Increase Your Empathy

Giveaway4Good Challenge Week Two: How Supporting Authors of Color Can Increase Your Empathy

by | Dec 11, 2020 | Slow Pieces Blog

During week two of my #Giveaway4Good Challenge, I’m supporting independent bookstores and the writers whose books grace their shelves.

 

In case you missed my last email, let me remind you of this week’s challenge.

  1. Purchase something from an independent bookstore, and I’ll give you one ticket for this week’s drawing.
  2. Purchase something from a Black-owned bookstore, and I’ll give you three tickets for this week’s drawing.
  3. Write a review on Amazon AND Goodreads for a book you recently read and I’ll give you one ticket into this week’s drawing. You can earn two tickets if the book was published in 2020, and three tickets if your review is for an author of color.

 

All emails should be sent to lisa.cooper.ellison@gmail.com.

 

Your week two prize is a 45-minute coaching session with me. You’ll also be entered in my grand prize drawing for a one-hour coaching session with me (includes 10-page manuscript review) PLUS a spot in Jane Friedman’s self-study course How to Write a Book Proposal.

 

Now, let’s talk about why I’m offering additional incentives for Black-owned bookstores and reviews for books written by authors of color.

 

George Floyd’s death sparked a worldwide outcry around the treatment of Black people by the police.

The problem wasn’t new, but for many in the white community, the outrage was either new or intensified by George’s brutal murder.

Many donated to causes that support people of color or started reading books by authors of color so they could better understand the oppression of Black people living in America.

 

Studies have shown that reading, and in particular reading stories, helps us build our empathy—that storehouse of feeling that allows us to be with another person’s experience.

This is the way I think about it.

 

With textbooks, I learn with my head.

With stories, I learn with my heart.

Personally, what I learn with my heart is what actually sticks.

 

While I can never truly understand the experiences of a person of color, reading stories written by Black authors helps me better understand their experiences and feel alongside them as best I’m able.

 

My heart connections to their stories help me see the world with clearer eyes and live in a more wholehearted way.

 

When Ta’Nehisi Coates shared his experience in Between the World and Me, I could better understand both the fears and hopes he has for his Black son.

 

Toni Morrison’s Beloved reveals how the brutality of slavery impacted the way Black mothers loved and cared for their children during a time of enslavement.

 

Krystal Sital’s book Secrets We Kept: Three Women of Trinidad opened my eyes to how the island’s caste system, tolerance of cruelty, and rigid gender roles allows domestic violence to pass from generation to generation.

 

Jesmyn Ward’s Sing Unburied Sing helped me better understand the complicated journey some children with parents of more than one races face.

 

Athena Dixon’s essay collection The Incredible Shrinking Woman gives voice to the ways Black women are socialized to shrink as a way to avoid negative stereotypes. Incidentally, her book was published in 2020.

 

While many of these titles can be found in independent bookstores, Black-owned bookstores are more likely to prominently display them. They also support equally important and well-written titles that don’t get as much attention in the press.

 

This support is vital for many Black authors and authors of color because they often receive smaller advances than their white counterparts. For some, their books are unfairly labeled as niche or they are pigeon-holed as “Black authors,” which can limit their reach. To learn more about this, click here.

 

My #Giveaway4Good Challenge is about finding all of the ways we can generate good in our literary community.

 

That is one of the reasons why I’m offering extra tickets to those of you who support Black-owned bookstores and those who write reviews for authors of color.

 

Books by people of color help us learn with our hearts.

 

The more our hearts understand, the better our world will be.

 

So, here’s your week two challenge recap:

  1. Support any independent bookstore (ten-dollar minimum) and I’ll give you one ticket for this week’s drawing.
  2. Support Black-owned bookstores like Books and Crannies in my home state of Virginia, or one of these 125 Black-owned bookstores, and I’ll give you three tickets into this week’s drawing.
  3. While I’m offering tickets for this week’s drawing for any review you write, I will give you 3 tickets for reviews written on behalf of an author of color. To learn more about why these reviews matter, click here.
  4. Reply to this email with the following information:
    1. The item you purchased at the independent bookstore
    2. A screenshot of any social media posts you made on behalf of the Black-owned bookstore as a way to boost their online presence.
    3. The name of the book you reviewed and why you liked the book (or a screenshot of your actual review).

Last week’s challenge brought in $20, 279 on behalf of families.

 

Let’s knock this week’s challenge out of the park and help Black-owned independent bookstores and the authors of color whose voices need to be heard.

#Giveaway4Good Challenge Week 2: Why Writing Amazon and Goodreads Reviews is Good for Your Writing Career and Your Karma

#Giveaway4Good Challenge Week 2: Why Writing Amazon and Goodreads Reviews is Good for Your Writing Career and Your Karma

by | Dec 9, 2020 | Slow Pieces Blog

If you read my last post, you’ll notice that I encouraged you to support independent bookstores and then told you I’d give you tickets for writing Amazon reviews. You might be wondering what I’m up to.

First, let me remind you of this week’s challenge.

  1. Purchase something from an independent bookstore, and I’ll give you one ticket for this week’s drawing.
  2. Purchase something from a Black-owned bookstore, and I’ll give you three tickets for this week’s drawing. 
  3. Write a review on Amazon AND Goodreads for a book you recently read, and I’ll give you one ticket for this week’s drawing. You can earn two tickets if the book was published in 2020, and three tickets if your review is for an author of color. 

 
Tickets are for this week’s drawing of a 45-minute coaching session with me.  During this session, we can talk about anything from how to begin a writing project to book proposals and query letters. 

You’ll also be entered into my grand-prize drawing of a one-hour coaching session (includes 10-page manuscript review) PLUS a spot in Jane Friedman’s self-study course How to Write a Book Proposal. 

For complete details, click here. 

To report your purchase or review, send an email to lisa.cooper.ellison@gmail.com.

So, let me explain why this challenge isn’t hypocritical. 

NOw that you have the 411 on how supporting independent bookstores is an investment in your writing career, I know where you’ll be spending your book-buying dollars. 

But I also know how the publishing industry works. While independent bookstores help writers connect with the hearts of readers, Amazon is the biggest retailer in this industry. 

For authors to get noticed, Amazon and Goodreads reviews are essential for three very important reasons: 

  • Reviews early in a book’s publication cycle create buzz and help build momentum during a launch that can catch the attention of Amazon’s mysterious algorithm. Please the algorithm, and Amazon will refer the book to readers. It can also help authors qualify for price drops and promotions that can boost sales. Most authors hope to have at least ten reader reviews on the first day of their book launch. Now that you know this, you can make this a future writing goal.
  • Reviews at any time boost a book’s credibility. While you’re a savvy writer/reader who learns about books in many different ways, there’s a trove of readers out there who rely on the “books you might like” section of every Amazon page. When they click on those selections, the choice to purchase—or not—comes down to the number and quality of reader reviews. Your support can increase the author’s sales. 
  • And, in case you don’t already know this, there are a number of trolls, “so-called literary critics,” and bots who write negative reviews either to seem smart or gain attention.  Not every negative review belongs in this category, but reviews by trolls and disgruntled family members are not uncommon. These negative reviews can affect an author’s overall rating. Help the authors you love combat this problem by writing positive, supportive reviews.

 

Here’s why this benefits you (Hint: it’s a karma thing.)

You know that saying—what goes around comes around? 

One day, you might be preparing for a book launch. And, while creating reviews for an author should never be a quid pro quo, authors are more likely to review your book if you’ve supported theirs. 

Even if those you’ve reviewed don’t return the favor, regularly writing reviews for the books you love will give you the confidence to ask for reviews when the time comes. 

Writing reviews can help you even if you never plan to write a book. 

You’ll feel good about your standing as a good literary citizen. 

The act can also broaden your writing community. 

And, writing thoughtfully about another writer’s work will help you understand how books are organized, what works, and how you can improve your own writing. 

Like I said, it’s a karma thing.  

While lengthy reviews can be a gift to the author, this challenge doesn’t need to take a ton of your time. 

If you’ve never written an Amazon or Goodreads review, here’s an easy formula you can use. It follows what I call my three Ss—simple, short, and supportive. 
 

  1. Write 1 – 3 sentences that tell the reader what the book is about. 
  2. Write 3 or 4 sentences about why you enjoyed reading the book. 
  3. Upload your reviews to Goodreads and Amazon.

 
So, now that you understand how this benefits authors and your karma, get writing, and then send me an email with the name of the book you reviewed and one thing you liked about the book. 

And, if you missed it, last week’s challenge brought in a whopping $20,279 for organizations that support families in need. Independent bookstore purchases and reviews are beginning to come in. Let’s see what good karma we can generate in week two.

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